Illinois homeowner reportedly confronted a family over 40 juice boxes taken off his Halloween porch, and the mom said ‘you shouldn’t put it outside’
Halloween porches often feature self-serve treats for kids who arrive while homeowners are busy or away. A homeowner in Illinois reportedly confronted a family after they allegedly took 40 juice boxes from his porch during Halloween. The exchange apparently escalated when he realized his entire supply of juice boxes was gone.
The clip spread after commentator Matt Van Swol shared it on X, where the caption says the man shouted that the family stole 40 juice boxes and called them thieves. According to the caption, the mother answered, “Well then you shouldn’t put it outside.” However, the location and identities of those in the footage have not been independently verified.
Her reported reaction suggests she felt the items were fair game once placed in an accessible area. That view clashes with the expectation of polite trick-or-treating etiquette, a subject that resurfaces every October, from rising Halloween candy prices to how adults treat kids who cannot say trick-or-treat.
He apparently expected those juice boxes to last the whole night
The homeowner then reportedly confronts the trick-or-treaters, asking where the 40 juice boxes went and demanding them back. The homeowner said, “I want it all back, that’s crazy.” The woman then called the homeowner ignorant and reportedly lifted her hand to cover her face while the man kept filming.
The trick-or-treaters then reportedly walked back to their vehicle as the homeowner said, “You don’t steal; that’s what you get for stealing. You get put on blast.” At one point, a young trick-or-treater retrieved the alleged 40 juice boxes from the car to return them. However, the homeowner told them to keep them, saying, “You’re stealing from other kids.”
The woman of the trick-or-treaters then told the homeowner, “Get the f*** out of my face. F*** wrong with you. You ruining kids Halloween,” while reportedly ushering the kids back into the vehicle. After a few more apparent cuss words and insults thrown between the two, the woman then drove off.
Stocking a porch like that isn’t cheap anymore
According to the National Retail Federation, Americans were expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, including $4.1 billion on candy. Its survey of 7,889 consumers found 96% of Halloween shoppers planned to buy sweets. Those budgets stretch less far, as a FinanceBuzz study found a 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy now averages $16.96, up 71% since 2021.
Juice boxes are no bargain either, with 40-count variety packs of Honest Kids juice boxes listed at roughly $27 to $45 on Walmart’s website, depending on the seller. That means the homeowner’s loss could have cost more than a typical bag of Halloween candy.
Disputes over emptied porches have also surfaced before. A Los Angeles resident shared home security footage with KTLA last year that appeared to show an adult in costume taking the last bucket of candy after a child urged her to. The resident told the station it was disappointing to see an adult allow that behavior.
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